Curtain-support



K. FORBES.

CURTAIN SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, I920.

1 ,890, 1 1 3, Patented Sept. 6, 1921'.

Kiqgstom R BEs.

nail-en stares KINGSTON FORBES, on FLINT, ivironrean, assrernon TO ennnnaniuoronsconrone- TION,'0F nnrnorr, MICHIGAN. .aconronarron or DELAWARE.

CURTAIN-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedSept. e, 1921.

Application filed January 30, 1920. Serial No. 355,021.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KINGSTON Fonnns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Flint, county of Genesee, and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Supports, of which the following is a full, clear, conelse, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which the invention relates to make and use the same, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates generically to a socketand rod connection of general applicability for use in supports and, more specifically, a socket and rod designed for and of special utility in the curtain supports commonly employed on the doors of motor vehicles.

In connection with automobile curtains of the type now in general use it is common to employ a curtain support consisting of a rod suitably shaped to engage with one edge of a curtain section and supported adjacent the edge of a door, in order to facilitate the opening of the door without removing the curtain. In structures of this kind it is, of course, necessary to provide means on the door for suitably engaging the rod so as to retain the same in proper relation to the vehicle parts, and it is the object of my in vention to provide an improved retaining device for such rods. A further object is to provide an improved form of rod and socket members including means for retaining the rod member in desired position and preventing relative rotation of said socket and rod members and of said socket and its supporting structure.

With these objects in view the invention comprises the combinations and elements hereinafter more specifically described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of portions of an automobile body showing the application of my invention thereto.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of a portion of a vehicle door with a curtain rod supported thereon.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved socket and rod construction.

Fig. i is a transverse sectional view of the same, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the socketmember.

In the drawing, 1 indicates generally an automobile body provided with a door 2, A curtain 3 is attached. at the forward end to the body in the usual manner. At the rear end oith curtain is the usual pocket 4 adapted to receive the curtain rod 5. The lower end of the rod is bent laterally and then downwardly as is customary to provide the rod portion 6 adapted to seat in socket 7. Since the curtain supporting portion ofthe rod is offset from and also extends at an angle to the socketportion it is necessaryhto provide some means to prevent relative rotation ofthe rod and door. This is accomplished in the embodiment of my invention herein described by the provision of novel interengaging means on the socket and rod. For this purpose, I construct the socket 7, which may be shaped up in any suitable manner from a sheet meta-1 blank or drawn by the use of suitable dies, with one or more depressions 8 forming internal longitudinal ribs extending for a portion of its length. An annular enlarge ment 9 is also formed adjacent one end of the socket to constitute a collar at the exposed end of the socket when in place in the door structure. The other end may be irregularly shaped as shown to enable the socket to seat more firmly in the door structure.

The portion 6 of the rod adapted to seat in the socket is provided with longitudinal grooves 10, the ends of which grooves form shoulders 11, adapted to engage with the ends of ribs 8 and thereby limit the entry of the rod into the socket.

It will be seen that, by the interengagement of the grooves and ribs, the rod will be prevented from rotation relatively to the socket, and further that the irregular peripheral and end portions of the socket, when driven to position in the door structure, will prevent rotative displacement of the socket. f

It. will also be seen that in the manufacture of the socket and the machining of the coiiperating portions of the rod a liberal clearance may be allowed, an accurate fit being unnecessary for the reason that the rod will tend to lock itself in position when the end of the groove engages with the depression or rib of the socket.

It will be clear from the preceding description that the socket is mechanically simple and easy to manufacture and that the entire structure is neat, eflicient and inexpensive. V 1

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction Withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the precise described. V

I claim: 1

structure above 1. In a support the combination of a sheet metal socket member, provided with one or more inwardly extending depressions forming internal longitudinal ribs and a rod member provided with one or more grooves in which said ribs are adapted to or seat and with shoulders at the end of said grooves, said shoulders adapted to limit the 7 entry of saidrod member into said socket.

2. In a support the combination of a socket member of sheet metal provided for a portion only of its length with internally extending depressions constituting lon'gitudinal ribs, and a rod 'member provided with grooves adapted to be engaged by said ribs and with shoulders at the ends of said grooves adapted to seat against the ends of said ribs to thereby limit thee'ntry of said rod member into said socket.

8. A socket member for curtain rods for vehicles com rising a tubular piece of sheet metal provi ed for a portion of its length with inwardly extending depressions formmg internal longitudinal ribs adapted to engage in longltudinal grooves in a curtam rod and thereby prevent rotation of such ing internal longitudinal ribs adapted to grip and prevent rotation of a curtain rod, an I annular enlargement being formed at one end of the tube constituting a collar for the exposed portion thereof. v

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' KINGSTON FORBES. 

